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Easy Summer Entertaining Menu

Easy Summer Entertaining Menu
This post has been sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

With temps hitting the 90s on a daily basis, there is no doubt summer is here. With the heat, it’s no fun to be in the kitchen when the stove is on – all that hot makes cooking a drag. The silver lining is that it does make the perfect conditions for heading outside to the grill, especially for entertaining! And with an easy summer entertaining menu, having people over will be a breeze.

Today I’m sharing with you an oven-free menu with a pork chop recipe that my family has used for years. It’s easy, cooks up nicely on the grill, and is fancy enough for company. If it is a concern for you, the menu is also gluten-free. If it’s not, some crusty rolls would also be a great side with dinner.

When I created this entertaining menu, I had Sam’s Club in mind—I’m a huge fan of being able to pick up everything I need for a party in bulk in one stop!

Summer Grill Menu for Entertaining

  • Rosemary Grilled Pork
  • Sliced Mango
  • Spring greens with multi-colored tomatoes
  • Member’s Mark White balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
  • Gold Peak® Tea
  • Raspberry sorbet
  • Colorful bouquet

The pork pairs so well with slices of fresh mango. The sweet and savory flavors together are absolutely perfect and just feel summery when you eat them. If you’re Floridian, they pretty much teach you about mangos the minute you step foot in our fair state. But if you’ve never sliced a mango before, Google “How to Slice a Mango” to see how to do it correctly and get the most out of your fruit.

The salad is incredibly simple so make sure you are using the best ingredients you can find, as taste matters here. Multi-colored tomatoes are a great salad item, as they add color to the plate. Top with Member’s Mark White Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing for the perfect salad to go with this pork dish.

Our family loves sweet tea, and for instant gratification, Gold Peak® Tea can’t be beat! It’s available at most Sam’s Club locations.

Finish out dinner with scoops of raspberry sorbet. This is meant to be a meal that’s filling, but not heavy on the stomach. Sorbets give that last kick of sweet and cool without the heaviness of ice cream. If your crowd is gluten tolerant, stick a few sugar cookies into the sorbet for an extra treat.

While you are at Sam’s Club, swing by their floral section and pick up a pretty bouquet for your table. They always have a beautiful selection at a great price; I use their flowers all the time for my events I love them so much.

 

 

Rosemary Grilled Pork

  • 1/4 cup dark molasses
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
  • Zest of one orange
  • 4 (1-inch thick) boneless pork chops
  • Steak Seasoning

Combine the molasses, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, rosemary and orange zest in a large bowl to make the marinade.

Pat the pork chops dry and place them in the marinade, tossing gently to coat. Let the pork chops stand for an hour.

Remove the pork chops from the marinade and season them with the Steak Seasoning. Cook on a preheated grill on high for 6 to 7 minutes on each side.

We were able to sit out on my friend’s pool deck and enjoy this lovely meal. After the five or so minutes it took to prepare the marinade, the whole meal was put together in less than half an hour—so we were able to spend most of our time visiting instead of cooking. As a good entertaining menu should allow for!

 

100 Hundred Ways to Summer

Coca-Cola and Sam’s Club are sharing ‘100 Ways to Summer’ on their sweepstakes page. Click here to check it out!

Paula Biggs

Owner at Frog Prince Paperie
Paula Biggs is a party planner, DIY crafter, and owner of Frog Prince Paperie, where you can find hundreds of party, craft and lifestyle ideas.

Sandra L Garth

Tuesday 13th of June 2017

I've mangled many mangoes so that tutorial will be helpful. As much as I love to crank up the oven for a sinful dessert when it comes to entrees I want to get out of the kitchen fast. This is a perfect entertaining or everyday meal. Thanks for reminding me about Sam's Club flowers. I tend to forget about them.

Paula Biggs

Thursday 15th of June 2017

I do love the Sam's Club flowers! And mango cutting is easy after the first dozen or so :)